Cyprus Retreat

American University of Sharjah, College of Architecture, art and Design, Sharjah

Project idea

This project is a small vacation home for an artist / writer. It is located on a coastal property in the island of Cyprus in the eastern Mediterranean.
The most important characteristic of this dwelling is the elaborate procession leading to the entrance and to its different levels. A path that celebrates the features of the site to provide spaces to sit, look, meditate, write, read, and create. It departs from the traditional language of programmatic labels such as bedroom, living room, kitchen etc. and privileges direct experience and induced perceptions.

Project description

The project explores the design principles that govern the works of Modern architecture and, simultaneously, adores the simple materials and clear forms native to the timeless vernaculars of the region. The inhabitant of this home is also a professor of classics at a university in Germany and is essentially a city-dweller. She sought a dwelling that could become a quiet retreat from the busy, urban, intensely social rituals of her professional life. A space that is modest in size but profound in experience.
This piece of architecture focuses on the experiential quality of the space and embraces the poetic nature of its landscape. Cyprus Retreat allows one to treat the outdoors as a simple extension or indoor living - to this effect, windows and doors are large and open with plenty of natural light coming in at perfect times during the day.

Technical information

The most important characteristic of this dwelling is the elaborate procession leading to the entrance and to its different levels. A path that celebrates the features of the site to provide spaces to sit, look, meditate, write, read, and create. It departs from the traditional language of programmatic labels such as bedroom, living room, kitchen etc. and privileges direct experience and induced perceptions.

Documentation

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